CHAPTER 22
EVIE
“This is so good, Matt. Thank you for making it for me,” I told my brother. It was two days since my perfect night with Harris and we were back at my mom and dad’s for dinner. Matt had made his famous chicken broth for me, since I was still having trouble eating, anxiety tying my stomach in knots for the most part.
The FBI had no leads on Soloman so far. It was like he had disappeared from the face of the earth and any info they, or my guys found on him, ultimately led nowhere. They were no closer to stopping him, but on the plus side they had no new missing persons they thought Soloman could have grabbed and all had been quiet for me and my family. I had started to think Harris had been right about Soloman fleeing far away, but that wasn’t exactly reassuring. I wanted him caught, or dead. I didn’t want to live my life terrified that the monster of my nightmares was still free to continue killing, constantly looking over my shoulder worried that he may come back for me one day.
Asher was happy for us to remain at the apartment in the city, and for us to utilize his security. He was stuck in New York anyway. His father had cancer and didn’t have many days left to live. He and Eli were sitting vigil at his bedside.
We had talked about moving back in to my mom and dad’s place for a while, but I felt more comfortable with us in our own space. The relationship between my guys and my brothers was better, but still a little strained and I didn’t want them to have to deal with that day and night.
I knew we needed to talk about going back home. If Soloman had fled, it was pointless us being there in Chicago, just waiting for news that may never come.
The repairs had been completed at the house and Aleks had ordered everything he needed to repair the security system once we got back there, so there was no reason not to go back really, except I worried about my family.
I was still terrified Soloman would go after them to get to me and I felt better being close to them, maybe able to do something if Soloman did try to terrorize them again.
Livy and the guys had moved back home after tightening up their security to Fort Knox levels, and they had brought the kids home too, which was also terrifying. What if something happened to the kids? How would I ever forgive myself? The answer to that was easy – I wouldn’t.
“Good. I made plenty and I have tubs for you to take back to the apartment. I made you empanadas too,” Matt told me. He, Cole, and Livy had come over to eat with us, mainly, I suspected to bring me food. Kyle and Kade were home with the kids, working relentlessly on trying to get a lead on Soloman. Apart from me, Zack, and the guys, it was just mom, dad, and Xander who completed the dining table.
“Thank you,” I told Matt. The broth was the first real thing I had eaten since I saw that damned photo of Jason King and I knew my body needed it.
Everyone else was eating the pasta Matt had cooked, and my guys were hoovering it down like they never ate before, just like they always did. Zack squealed, clearly annoyed at Nick for not feeding him fast enough. He had a crushed up slice of garlic bread in his hand, but he wanted the pasta which Nick was feeding him a piece at a time.
“Okay, Mr. Impatient,” Kailan laughed, making us all chuckle when Zack just squealed again.
“Da Da!” he cried then, and we all paused and stared at him. He was staring right at his dad. Clearly he knew who ‘Da Da’ was.
“Oh my God!” I gasped.
“That was his first word,” Nick announced, a huge grin on his face as he turned to his son. “You clever boy. Say it again. Say ‘Da Da’,” Nick coached.
“Da Da Da,” Zack chanted as he reached his free hand towards the food.
“Good job, little dude,” Kailan told him with a huge smile. We were all smiling. It was a big moment and the pride on Nick’s face was everything.
“Zack, say Aleks,” Aleks spoke up, leaning in close to Zack. “A-leks,” he sounded it out, but Zack just offered him the crushed up garlic bread from his hand, then turned back to Nick, who held the pasta out on a spoon for him. I burst out laughing when Zack lurched forward so fast to get it in his mouth, he almost missed it.
“He’s such a good eater Nick. He’s not going to give you any problems. Such a little cutie,” my mom said.
“We might have problems affording to stock the refrigerator when he gets bigger,” Harris laughed.
“You guys still planning to go back to work tomorrow?” Xander asked, looking to Cole and Matt.
“I have to. I have a big client meeting I need to be at,” Matt sighed.
“And I am not going to have a job if I don’t get back to the lab this week,” Cole added.
“You’ll be careful though, right? I mean, he messed with your brakes before Matt,” I worried.
“Kade has arranged for one of his team to drop us off and pick us up. We’ll be safe at work because we both work in pretty secure buildings,” Cole explained.
“We’ll be fine, hermanita. No worrying about us, okay? You’re worrying way too much,” Matt told me with worry on his face as he looked at me.
“He’s right, babe, You are putting yourself through way too much stress right now. We’re all worried about you,” Nick added.
“It’s hard not to stress when there’s a serial killer out there somewhere with my name on his to do list,” I snapped then I buried my face in my hands, instantly feeling bad for snapping at them at all. I was just so tired and frazzled. I wasn’t sleeping, barely eating and worrying constantly. I was a wreck.
“Ev…” Harris placed his large hand on my back and I looked up at him.
“I’m okay,” I told him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t snap like that. I’m just tired.”
“We know, darlin’. We get it,” Kailan told me with a forced smile. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Why don’t you go upstairs and lie down for a while, honey? You might sleep better in your own room,” mom suggested, but she had no idea. It didn’t matter where I lay when I closed my eyes, Soloman was always there waiting for me.
“I’m okay,” I told her. It was a blatant lie.
The table went uncomfortably silent as we all finished eating and I knew it was because of me, but I didn’t have the strength or energy to try and fix it.
I was glad when everyone was done and Matt, Cole, and Livy stood to start clearing away the plates. Kailan and Aleks jumped up to help, but Harris was just watching me, and I knew he was worried.
“I’ll just go and clean this little demon up,” Nick told us as he scooped a sauce and garlic covered Zack up and headed for the hall with him.
“Tell me what you want, sweetheart?” Harris asked me quietly. Mom and dad were at the other end of the table chatting quietly so I knew they couldn’t hear us.
“Sleep, I guess,” I shrugged. “I just feel so tired but every time I close my eyes he’s right there, Harris, just waiting for me. I’m too scared to sleep,” I confessed tearfully.
“Let’s go back to the apartment. We’ll all sleep together in your room tonight. Aleks can play a movie on his laptop and we’ll all cuddle up. We won’t let Soloman in. We’ll keep you safe enough to close your eyes, okay?”
“I really need that,” I agreed as tears ran down my cheeks. I always had one of the guys at my side, but it hadn’t been enough the last few days, Maybe having them all with me would be. I really hoped so.
“Then that’s what we’ll do. Let’s help clean up, then we can go, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed.
The kitchen was chaos when we walked in, Livy, Cole, Matt, Aleks, and Kailan dancing around each other to get everything organized.
“Just sit here, okay? I’ll help them,” Harris said as he led me to a seat at the counter and lifted me into it.
“I can help,” I protested.
“No. You don’t need to. You need to rest,” Harris told me firmly. I nodded and he walked into the kitchen. I couldn’t help but smile when he started designating jobs to everyone to get the job done more efficiently. I could definitely see why Kailan called him ‘boss’. What was even funnier was the way everyone, including Matt and Cole, just did as he told them. They were working like a well oiled machine in minutes.
I felt someone coming up behind me, and smiled, sure it was Nick and Zack. I just started to turn when an arm wrapped around my chest, but it couldn’t be Nick. He was holding me way too tight. Then I felt it – a feeling I knew – a gun, this time pressed to my temple.
“Hello Eight.”
NICK
I had a huge smile on my face as I made my way back downstairs with Zack, now all washed up and dressed in a clean onesie. I was so proud of him for saying my name. I had been worrying for a while about the fact he didn’t speak yet, but I never expected his first word to be my name. It had struck me hard, right in the heart and I found myself thinking maybe Evie was right. Maybe I didn’t make the shitty dad I always thought I would. Zack certainly seemed happier with me than he had with Abby, even with all of the crazy we were in the middle of.
I was about to push the kitchen door open, when Harris’s voice made me freeze. His tone was firm and clipped. Something was wrong.
“Just take it easy. No one is moving,” he said.
“Harris,” Evie whimpered, sounding terrified.
“Just stay still, Ev. Everything’s going to be just fine,” Harris told her.
“Actually I don’t think it is,” A voice I didn’t recognize almost laughed.
“You motherfucker!” Matt hissed. “You better move that gun off of my sister right the fuck now!”
I backed up. Soloman was in the fucking house and he had Evie at gunpoint. Why didn’t I have my fucking weapon? We’d left them at the house, none of us licensed to carry outside of the state.
I carefully and silently moved through the house and back to the dining room, where I found Keira and Grant huddled together around the corner from the kitchen, listening. Grant saw me and dragged Keira my way. I nodded for them to follow me out of the room, which they did, silently.
“Take him. Go out the front door and call the cops, the FBI, everyone,” I told Keira right away as I handed Zack over. Thank fuck he wasn’t crying or hungry.
“The security guys. They’re just outside,” she told me breathlessly, tears in her eyes.
“Tell them to cover the exits, but not to come in. Soloman is too volatile. If he hears them he could just shoot Evie,” I told her honestly. The last thing I wanted was guys I didn’t even know charging in here and making Soloman feel trigger happy.
“Grant,” she whimpered as she looked to him with terror. .
“Go, sweetheart. We’ll be okay. We’ll get them out,” Grant told her as he kissed the top of her head, then he ushered her towards the front door. We listened as she slipped out, closing the door almost silently behind her.
“Do you have a gun in the house?” I asked Grant in a whisper.
“Y-yes. A Glock. It’s in a gun safe in the office.”
“Show me,” I ordered. Soloman was unhinged and I was terrified we were running out of time.
Grant moved with a stealth a man his size should not be capable of. He took me down a hall and into an office on the ground floor. He pulled some books from one of the shelves to reveal a small gun safe. He entered the code, then pulled out the gun, handing it to me.
“Shouldn’t we wait for the police?” he asked, obviously terrified for his daughter and his family.
“I don’t think we have time. That fucker wants Evie dead. It’s only a matter of time,” I explained.
“What do we do?”
“You leave just like Keira just did. Wait for the cops and let them know what’s going on. Tell them I’m armed.”
“What are you going to do?” he asked.
“End this.”
EVIE
“Harris.” I looked across the counter to where he stood. I was shaking like a leaf and fighting for every breath as adrenaline hit me hard and set my heart beating erratically. My eyes moved between Kailan and Aleks, then to Matt, Cole and Livy. I was terrified for all of them. Soloman was there to kill me. I knew that. I had accepted a while ago that he would be my end, but not the others. Not the men I loved and the family I adored. All of my fear was for them in that moment. I knew I would die a hundred times over if he would just let them all walk out safely.
“Just stay still, Ev. Everything’s going to be just fine,” Harris told me, sounding calm but looking far from it.
“Actually I don’t think it is,” Soloman hissed, sounding almost joyous about it.
“You motherfucker!” Matt growled. “You better move that gun off of my sister right the fuck now!” He and Cole both started towards me and towards the gun. They were raging and I was terrified they would just run at Soloman, consequences be damned.
I watched with horror as the gun came past my face and was pointed right at my brothers. I considered trying to disarm him. It was a self-defense move I had worked on with Kyle several times, but Soloman kept his grip on me way too tight for me to be able to move and I was petrified he’d just shoot Matt and Cole if I tried.
“Matt! Cole!” I cried. “Just stop!”
“No!” Livy cried at the same time as she looked to Matt with horror. Cole leapt forward and grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
“Let’s all just calm down. Tell us what you want?” Aleks tried, his voice steady and calm. I could see the way my guys were looking at each other, trying to come up with a way to get us out of this. Their faces were set with tension, their bodies rigid, and their fists bunched. It was clear they were raging too, but there was nothing they could do when Soloman had the gun right on me.
“Move again and she’s dead!” Soloman barked as he returned the gun to my head, then he turned to Aleks. “I already have what I want.”
“Me,” I squeaked.
“You always were smart, even when you were a kid,” Soloman told me. “I didn’t recognize you at first. It had been twenty plus years since your parents sent me packing.”
“They d-didn’t send you away,” I stuttered, my voice trembling as I tried to get the words out. “They wanted y-you to stay but your un-uncle came forward a-and they h-had no choice.”
“There’s always a choice!” he roared, scaring the life from me. My adrenaline was surging even more now, making every part of me shake and my heart pound even harder and faster. “I tried to let you go. I gave you the rules and I let you go. You chose to break those rules and now you have to face the consequences.”
“Why? I asked weakly. “Why d-did you l-let me go?”
“The only time in my whole life I was happy was right here in this house. I…I liked Keira and Grant. They were good to me, until they cast me aside. Once I knew who you were, all I could see was the little kid I once knew. I wanted to let you live. I tried, but you messed it all up! You’re so fucking stupid!” His rage increased and he slammed the butt of the gun into my head so hard I thought I was going to black out, but he held me up.
“You fucker!” Kailan growled furiously as Harris and Aleks started to look like they were going to lunge. “You’re a dead man!”
My head cleared a little, but my ear was ringing loudly and I would not be upright if Soloman wasn’t gripping me so tight.
“You first,” Soloman sneered as he pointed the gun at Kailan.
“No!” I cried. He was going to kill us all. I was sure of it. Livy would leave her kids with no mother. Matt. Cole. My guys. I couldn’t let it happen.
“Beg me, Eight. Beg me to shoot you instead of him!” Soloman yelled into my ear as he waved the gun at Kailan again.
“Don’t you dare, Evie! Shoot me, you chicken shit! Won’t be the first bullet I take!” Kailan baited him as he stepped forwards and opened his arms in invitation.
“Kailan, stop it!” I screamed as tears ran down my face. I couldn’t stand by and watch him shoot the man I loved. I’d rather die.
It all happened so fast then. The gun fired and Kailan went down. I screamed as my heart ripped into two.
“EVIE! DOWN!” I heard Nick’s voice roar and without a thought I dropped all of my weight so Soloman had to let me go. I fell to the ground hard and tried to roll away from him, but I’d barely moved when two more shots sounded. Soloman’s heavy body slumped and landed over me, the warmth of his blood running down my back and neck.
“Evie!” Harris yelled. He rolled Soloman’s body off of me and I was instantly in his arms.
“Kailan?” I cried as I looked to where he had fallen in the kitchen.
“He’s okay, Evie. The bullet hit his shoulder,” Aleks called back to me.
“Let me down. I have to see him!” I fought to get out of Harris’s arms and ran around the counter, dropping to my knees beside where Kailan now sat up against the cabinet. Aleks was pressing a towel to his shoulder, which seemed to be bleeding way too much.
“Oh God!” I gasped. “You’re such an idiot!” I cried as I hit out at his good arm. “Why did you do that? Why?” I was crying by the end of my question, and Kailan wrapped his arm round me and pulled me into his side. I pressed my face to his shoulder and just cried harder. I had thought I’d lost him.
“I knew he was a shit shot,” he chuckled. “I’m gonna be just fine, darlin’. Stop crying now. It’s over. It’s all over,” he told me as he held me tightly.
“I-is he d-dead?” I asked as I looked up at Harris. I could just see around the counter to where Nick was kicking away the gun Soloman held. He bent down to check for a pulse, then looked to me.
“Yeah, he’s dead. Kailan’s right. It’s over, baby,” Nick confirmed.
I could hear Livy sniffling as Matt and Cole both held her. I knew it had to have brought up some awful history for her and I hated that she had been caught up in it all.
“Evie? Are you okay?” Cole asked as he looked over to me. Mat and Livy turned to me too and I forced a weak smile.
“Yeah. I…I think so.” I gasped.
“Deep breaths, maleńka. Try to catch your breath,” Aleks coached as his eyes met mine. I nodded shakily and tried to take in deeper breaths, but my adrenaline was surging, my heart racing and I found it hard to calm myself down.
“Where’s Zack? I-is he okay?” I asked as I looked to Nick.
“Your mom and dad have him. They got out to call the cops,” Nick explained as he put the gun he had used down on the counter and came over to me. “You’re bleeding,” he told me as he lifted my head a little. My head was pounding and I could feel the blood running down the side of my face.
“I’m okay,” I assured him as I grabbed his hand and clutched it tightly.
“I need to go and deal with the cops. You okay here, sweetheart?” Harris asked as his eyes locked with mine.
“Get EMT’s in here. This wound is still bleeding way too fucking much,” Aleks added, and Harris looked to Kailan with worry, as did I.
“Chill, drama queens. It’s fine. Bullet went right through,” Kailan told us all, but he did sound a little out of it and I was definitely worried.
“EVIE! LIVY! ” A deep voice roared through the house, startling me, but I relaxed when I realized who it was.
“In here. We’re okay, Kade,” Livy called back instantly.
Kade ran in then, followed by Kyle. They both looked to Livy first, then to me. Just behind them were the three guys in Shepard Security jackets, who I assumed had been outside.
“H-he’s dead,” I told them. “It’s over.” The security guys backed off at hearing that, for which I was grateful. The last thing I needed was to be surrounded by huge strangers.
“You’re hurt?” Kyle growled as he came closer to me.
“Fucker hit her with the gun. I’m going to get EMT’s now,” Harris told him. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head, then hurried from the kitchen.
“I’m okay, b-but Kailan’s shoulder, it wo-won’t stop bleeding,” I explained as I looked to Kailan and tried not to cry.
“Let me take a look,” Kyle said as he walked over and knelt on the floor beside Kailan. He was talking to Aleks as he pulled back the towel and looked at the wound.
“Baby? Let’s get you out of here, okay?” I looked up and found Nick crouched before me. I looked past him to Soloman’s dead body, blood now pooling around him and spreading rapidly across the floor. His head was turned to face me, those cold eyes locked right on me.
“Kailan?”
“He’s okay. Aleks will take care of him. You don’t need to see anymore. You’ve seen enough,” he told me.
I looked around and watched Cole and Matt leading Livy from the kitchen. She was shaking as hard as I was. Just before she left she turned back to me and forced a smile filled with understanding. Kade was right behind them too.
“Go darlin’. I’m fine. Go with Nick,” Kailan added. I leaned in to kiss him chastely.
“You b-better be fine,” I warned him shakily. He just grinned as he caught my face with his good hand, pulling me in for another kiss.
“I promise,” he added. “Go. Check on Zack and find an EMT to check your head, okay?”
Before I could say anything else, Nick scooped me up from the floor and held me in his arms as he strode from the kitchen and through the house to the front door.
It was chaos when we got out front, police cars, huge black SUV’s - which I guessed were the FBI, Asher’s security guards, and ambulances all over.
We’d barely gotten down the steps before my mom and dad were running for me, mom clutching Zack in her arms.
“Evie! Are you okay? You’re bleeding?” dad asked all at once as they stopped before me. Before I could even answer, my mom started yelling for medical attention to anyone who looked official enough to help.
The next thing I knew I was laid on a bed behind one of the ambulances, an EMT poking at my very sensitive and painful head wound as I clutched Nick’s hand as tight as I could.
“How is she?” I heard Harris asking, and when I opened my eyes, he was there too, standing beside me and looking me over with worry.
“No signs of concussion and there’s no need for stitches. We’ll dress the wound and you should be good to go,” the EMT told me.
“Where’s Kailan?” I asked as I looked to Harris.
“They’re loading him into an ambulance. He’s going to need stitches, but he’ll be fine,” he told me.
“I want to go with him.”
“We will, sweetheart. But we need to talk to the FBI first. Aleks is going with him. Nick, they want your statement first. I’ll stay with Evie,” Harris said.
“Be right back, babe,” Nick told me. He leaned in to kiss me, then he hurried off towards the ever increasing group of cops and suits who were arriving.
“He won’t get in trouble, will he?” I asked Harris as he came closer and took my hand.
“No. Of course not. He just took out a serial killer the FBI has been hunting for months. He won’t get in trouble.”
“How did he g-get in the house? We had the guards outside and the sy-system didn’t go off,” I pointed out. I was still shaking badly but the adrenaline was beginning to wane.
“Let’s see what the FBI discover, but I think he was already in the house. There was no way for him to get in without someone knowing. The guards outside didn’t see a thing and I’m confident no one would have gotten past them. I think he’s been hiding out in that house for a few days,” he explained, and my stomach turned at the idea that he had been right there in my childhood home the whole time. He could have hurt my parents at any time.
“Oh God!” I gasped as I clutched my rolling stomach.
“Just breathe, beautiful. None of it is important right now. Soloman is dead and you’re still here. Everyone you love is safe. It’s all over.”
“We can go home?” I blubbered tearfully.
“We can go home, Ev. We can start to move forward, together. We can look to the future, our future,” he told me.
“I w-want that,” I agreed with a very wobbly smile. Harris engulfed me in his arms and kissed the top of my head. It really was over. The monster from my nightmares was dead. I knew I had a long road ahead of me to deal with all he had put me through and to find myself again, but I could do it if he was really gone. I could do it with the men I loved backing me up. I could do anything with the four of them at my back.